First Haboob of the Summer

We experienced our first haboob of the summer today...which is rather early. Haboob is the local term for this HUGE yellow cloud of dust that comes flying in...usually from the east or south which is quite unusual since most winds come from the west. The day started out as quite warm at around 97. Then this afternoon the dark clouds started rolling across the sky. Don and I were sitting on the patio when the wind suddenly picked up into a fierce gust and the HUGE yellow cloud of dust and dirt blew in. It's really quite a sight to see. Then we even had a little rain but unfortunately not much. Within the hour, the temperature dropped down to low 80s and the sun was back out for a beautiful evening. Very unusual weather.

I made the rounds of the houses I'm watching and didn't see any damage to report other than a broken clay pot at Marilyn and Bill's house. It evidentally blew over in the wind. We heard that Mission Royale had a few downed trees and they were without electricity for two hours. Must have been worse over their way. We've never been without power in the three years we've been here. Better knock on wood, huh!

I ended the day with a nice swim up at the main pool. It wasn't too crowded....five people. I love it!!

Thank You, Jan

Jan and George Waters threw a very nice "bash" this week so thought I'd post a blurb to say thank you and bid adeau to Jan's friend, Lynne. Lynne said she is a loyal fan of this blog because she likes to keep track of our activities. We were surprised to see that there are still so many people here this late in the season. Thanks Jan.....it was great.

Another Day

Oh, how I love living in Arizona!! It was a lovely spring day with a high of about 90. That may seem hot to some, but when it's a "dry heat", it is absolutely wonderful. We went out to Francisco Grande tonight for dinner with some great friends (Bob and Bev Carte). I keep hearing about that lovely place, but this is the first time we went out to dinner there. It was great!! They've really done a lot of remodeling but the best part was the wonderful food and great service. I highly recommend it. Don loves golfing there and confirms that they also have a friendly staff in the cocktail lounge. Now how would he know that?? I'll get some pictures the next time we head out that way as I didn't think of taking the camera. I must get back into my "blog" mode as updates seem to be in great demand.

As many of you know, Don's sister (Pat) and her daughter (Tracy) successfully write mystery books under the pen name of PJ Tracy. They've been on the best seller list with each of four novels!! Their bio has appeared in People Magazine and tomorrow they will be on the Today Show. Can't wait to watch them. Our TVO is set to record. Check out their website sometime at www.pjtracy.net and read their entertaining newsletters. They also appear in an article in the May issue of Ladies Home Journal in an article about mother/daughter businesses. We are sooooooo proud of them!!

Don and I took a ride this afternoon with camera in hand to take pictures of some of the construction progress around town.

The most exciting site is, of course, the new mall just on the east side of Hiway 10. Most of you passed it on your way out of town. The recent progress is remarkable as you can see from these photos. Walls are springing up all over the place and even on this Sunday afternoon, trucks and workers were active like bees. There are only a few signs posted identifying the various buildings. The ones listed are Harkin’s Theaters, Staples, and Pet Smart.


Approaching the new "Prominade Mall" from the overpass.
Here's the view from on top the overpass looking north up Hiway 10.
This view is heading east just past the overpass.
This is one of the buildings closest to the road.

The next most important site will be watching the construction of the new high school just across the street from Palm Creek. I took these pictures from the corner of Cottonwood and Arizola. You can see Palm Creek in the background so you know how close this new building will be.



Medical buildings are bouncing up all over near the park. Here are some new medical facilities going up right alongside the hotel across the street. There are quite a few more going up on McMurray. Casa Grande will be a convenient stay for anyone needing medical assistance.

The building to the left is the hotel. The new medical buildings are alongside and behind the hotel. This photo is taken from McMurray.

Our owls are still residing in the lot outside the main gate but their surroundings are sure being cut down. I keep a close eye on them as much as possible and have the phone number of the endangered species organization handy should I see any dangerous activity near their home. These cute little feathered guys are protected by law. Whoever buys that property will face a big expense in moving the owls to a new location.

The Season Winds Down

Sooooo…..the season is truly winding down. The major activities are done, most of the RV folks are headed home or on the road again, and we “year rounders” are enjoying the peace and quiet that descends upon the streets of our beautiful resort. The weather has been gorgeous…80s by day, 50s by night. Neither air conditioners nor heaters needed; just the rustling sound of the breezes through the palm trees and the singing birds (and, of course, the gentle sound of the plentiful cooing doves). I expect our rabbit population may dwindle a bit as a couple of coyotes have been spotted near the golf course toward dusk and early morning. Certainly can’t blame them for sneaking in here where furry critters, fresh water, and cool green grasses abound.

I took a leisurely bike ride down Cole Circle tonight and stopped to admire the pretty flowers along the way. The geraniums, pansies, oleanders, and other flowering bushes are coming into their prime. Too bad so many people have to leave before the flowering peak season. Speaking of FLOWERS!!....here are some photos of the awesome cactus blossoms that appear at Site ____. We’ve counted as many as 12-15 in the past, but last week there were 60 huge white flowers all in bloom at the same time! What an extraordinary sight to behold. Wow. They’re beautiful flowers and only last for one day so these pictures were taken at exactly prime time.